thomasthetaxi wrote:
Source http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/businessandpartners/private-hire-vehicles-and-royal-parks.pdf
The London Taxi Trade have the privilege of being the only trade vehicles aloud to drive through the royal parks.
Now the PCO on behalf of the Private Hire Association have appealed to the Royal parks to extend the privilege to private hire cars. They have informed the Royal Parks Police that the mini cabs are doing exactly the same job as Taxi’s. At this moment Mini Cabs/PHV's are excluded from entering the park.
Not that the park police have spent much time pursuing offenders, I did write to them and asked for the number of cars prosecuted since the Licensing of Private hire vehicles, but have yet to receive a reply.
How very nice of The PCO to be batting for the mini cabs, it’s a pity that they have never in the history of the cab trade been in our corner.
I have for years been writing to the PCO on behalf of drivers who have come unstuck because of ancient laws dating back before the invention of the motor car, they have always given me the same lame excuse that they just administer the law.
After years of the license cab trade trying to get the PCO to change some of their ancient laws we are still told “We don’t make the laws we just administer them”. Why, just before last Christmas, did the PCO suddenly come out in favour of changing laws to suit the Private Hire Trade?
The statement “Private hire vehicles provide a similar public service to Taxis in many respects” is the most dangerous statement ever to come from the PCO yet.
What next “we think private hire vehicles should be aloud to pick up from ranks at major termini because they do the same public service to taxi cabs”.
The PCO make nearly three times as much money from the Private hire sector as they do from the licensed Taxi Trade. Does this mean that they will want to give them value for money? Most reputable Private Hire companies are screaming about the amount of illegal touting going on and that their drivers can’t earn a living without breaking the terms of their license. After all, did you really think that TFL had set up a committee to investigate illegal touting for our benefit? The committee was set up because Steve Wright and John Griffin had been lobbying London Assembly members on behalf of their companies, who have been loosing business to touts.
Mr Griffin, who actualy gave Boris £25,000 for his campaign fund, has always had a dream that the taxi trade in London would be run on similar lines to the New York taxi trade; Licensed Taxis must stop for any person who hails the taxi, no refusals and all radio work to be given to the Private Hire sector. Why do you think all the radio companies have invested in their own Mini cab sections of their companies? Still dont want to start a conspiracy theory .
Surely it is the PCO’s job to administer and enforce laws not to make or change them to suit their own ends.
In press release 40/07, TFL pointed out that they intend to issue fines to Taxis who drop passengers outside the House’s of Lords. They have tried to disguise the fact that it is their strategy by saying it is a statement from the Met police, but the fines will be issued from CCTV footage and will come from TFL. Another nice one from former bus driver Len Simkins (remember the thick red lines at bus stops and bus stops in the middle of the road?).
I think you're building yourself up to a heart condition Mr A.
You need to work less, and holiday more like me.
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